Social exclusion of homeless
people in Hungary
Tímea Potvorszki
Ferenc Kvasznicza
Bálint Tétényi
History of homelessness in Hungary
• Homelessness was recognized as a social
problem around the age of system change.
• Increase in the number of homeless people was
due to:
 Increase in housing expenses
 Elimination of dangerous of work avoidance
 Shutting down many accommodations of skilles
workers
 Sociological factors: poverty, unemployment,
alcoholism, drugs
Statistical data of homeless people in
Hungary
No. of homeless people on the streets febr. 3 2011
Those who were willing to give answers on febr 3rd 2011
Place
Accomodation
Street
Total
Budapest
2137
1150
3287
Countryside
2192
1720
3912
Total
4329
2870
7199
City
2008
2009
2010
2011
Budapest
1189
1360
1252
1150
Countryside
1376
1360
1816
1720
Total
2565
2862
3068
2870
Sociological characteristics of
homeless people
• Average age of homeless
people is between 38-44
• 75% of homelss people is
between the ages of 30-60
• People who are over 60 years
old ale representing 25% og
the overall Hungarian society
• In the past 10 years the
number of homeless people
doubled and they are now 25%
of the whole homeless society
• Homeless people are more
educated than the average
people
Groups of homeless peple
• Termination of state education
• People in bad mental
conditions
• Long lasting group of
homeless people who are on
the street for more than 10
years
• Addicted (to drugs, gambling)
• After a divorce
• Because of the death of main
earner
The structure and institutions of the
social system in Hungary
Basic social services:
• Catering, Home help providing, helping families,
community-based services, helping addicts, psychiatric
patents low-threshold services, support service,
signalling homecare, day care (elderly handicapped
people, addics, homeless), street social work.
Welfare institutions:
• In case of welfare institutions they can provide nursing
care, rehabilitation, residential or temporary placement
services either for disabled people, or for addicts, or for
retired people or for homeless people
PROBLEMS WITH THE CURRENT SOCIAL SYSTEM
Government role in preventing
homeless people exclusion
• Government decree to develop a Medium Term Action Plan with the
aim of reducing the number of homeless people living in the streets,
strengthening the safety of housing, preventing the homelessness
and developing the supply system of the homeless people.
 To support the housing of homeless people and expand their institutional
care,.
 Treatment of permanently sick homeless people
 Development of professional recommendation
 Developing free accommodation in the nodes
 Implementing investments in public areas and develop resting places
 Establishing consultative body with aim of handling the homelessness
 Considering the causes of housing for homeless and to promote
employment
 Establishing a team to consider the economic and legal conditions
concerning homeless people situation
BMSZKI
• The BMSZKI is the biggest organization in the
capital of Hungary, in Budapest and in the
Middle-Europe region still the one of the largest
organizations. The BMSZKI pays attention to the
consequences and the statistics what can be
found on their webpage like a document about
the last 40 +20 years related to the homeless
people in Hungary, and analizing the causes of
being out on the street.
BMSZKI program
• Győri Péter’s ‘Opening to the street’ program (2007)
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Elements:
Prevention
Integration – EQUAL Program
Open services
Vandorut (Fregolization)
Deliverence of the cases
Falimilar faces
FET
Extended street
Instead of warming rather a centre
Access hostel
The Hungarian Maltese Charity Service
• The Hungarian Maltese Charity is making its
activities int he Karpatian Basin in Hungary. Its 20
years long past have created solutions for problems
int he social and health care sphere, these are
recognised part of the entire system. In the
Humanitarian field they collected several
experiences with Romanian and Yugoslavian aid
projects. Their task is to give their experiences to
those who are in the need. They have foreigner
friends from whom they get help, especially in the
first years.This leads them to participate in
international activities, however this is not their
main task.
Programs of the Hungarian Maltese
Charity Service
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Laundry – 2007
The Happy Street Boys – 2010
Patrons of Miklos street – 2010
Table tennis competition for the homeless people in
Komárom – 2010
Religious journals and saplings donated in Gyula – 2010
Bikes are collected in Szeged – 2010
Dinner for homeless people – 2011
Where to ‘put’ the homeless people? – 2011
Miskolc – 2012
Winter shelter on the bus station – 2012
40 tons of cover – 2012